It seems the coconut oil will work out. The muffins didn’t rise much but were an excellent texture, so I’m not sure which of my modifications to blame. I melted the oil, but perhaps it could just be softened and then whipped like butter? Directions on the precise use of coconut oil were not to be found. But my mind is much more at ease with my friend, the coconut than it is with my enemy, the unidentified pseudo-vegetable.

On the bookshelf (or by my bed or on the coffee table or sitting on my sewing basket):

Surrender – I had a hard time getting into this one – it’s hard to tell precisely what it going on and who to believe – but I have to find out what happens.

Peace Like a River – I got into it again, and then I put it down to read The Sea of Trolls for class. I’ll finish Surrender first.

Our Only May Amelia

Esperanza Rising

Accidents of Nature

The Autobiography of Henry VIII

The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.

Can You Forgive Her?

Clearly, some of these books have been there for a while. And don’t seem to be going anywhere. I really need to keep a tighter rein over my library holds (sometimes I feel like they’ve got a mind of their own. My relationship with my hold list is like that of a junkie – surely putting a couple more on won’t hurt me, I need to add them, I deserve to add them…

I’ve more or less abandoned the Winter Classics Challenge, but I’m glad I read the two that I did. Chances of my finishing Can You Forgive Her? AND Madame Bovary by Wednesday are, um, slim. I might squeeze in The BFG. That’s doable, 3 out of 5.